…started when Kinza called up Ryan with a request to design and install her latest aquarium.

He showed up to build a fish tank and somehow both of them left with a date — coffee at Catpurrccino's, a cat café in Huntington, which in hindsight was the universe being very on the nose about where this was all headed (more on this later). It was supposed to be about fish tanks, filters, and water chemistry. But somewhere between the aquarium setup and coffee at Catpurrccino’s in Huntington, something clicked.

From the start, we were different in some obvious ways. We come from two cultures and faith traditions, but what mattered most was how much we shared: the same values, the same love for family and animals, the same belief in loyalty, kindness, and building a home with care. When we got married, we chose to keep it quiet and intimate, with a ceremony that honored both Islam and Christianity in a way that felt honest, beautiful, and completely ours.

And then there’s the rest of the family: our Otto (a beautiful lab-mix), Leo (our African Gray Parrot), Bugs & Lola (a handsome short-hair and beautiful long-hair cat), Fiona (a gecko) and Chunkachoo (a really large pufferfish). You may have seen them on your invite. :)

Our home is full of feathers, fur, scales, water changes, opinions and tiny creatures who all seem to think they run the place. Honestly, they probably do. But taking care of them together has become one of the clearest pictures of who we are: a little chaotic, very loving and always a team.

We’ve already said our vows. Now we’re so excited to celebrate with the people we love most.